Steam gang-plow



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1-.

, W. H. SNYDER.

STEAM GANG PLOW.

No. 316,845. VPatented Apr. 28, 1885.

N. PETERS, namumogmphu, wmmgm, o. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. SNYDER.

STEAM GANG PLOW/ No. 316,845. -Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

lii

nlllgllgnnlnm c UNITED STATES .PATENT V OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. SNYDER, OF WAYNESBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM GANG-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,845, dated April 28, 1885.

Application filed October 1S, 1884. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern.-

, Beit known that I, "WILLIAM H. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waynesborough, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Gang-Flows; and I do hereby declare the fol-l lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

rIhis invention relates to that type of steam gang-plows wherein the gang of plows is drawn by a tractionengine. l

My improvement consists of certain features of construction and of certain combinations of mechanical devices, all specifically pointed out in the claims at the close of this specification.

The practical application and modus operandi of the several parts of my invention are clearly set forth in the following detailed description, aided by annexed drawings, of a steam gangplow constructed in some respects like that described in the joint application by myself and Abraham O. Frick for a United States pat ent, filed October 18, 1884, Serial No. 145,872. It should be understoodhowever, that my invention is applicable to other steam gangplows. i

Figure lis a perspective view of a steam gang-plow embodying part of my improvements. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the remainder of my invention-namely, the construction of and mode of supporting the articulated diag` onal bitching-beam.

The same letters of reference indicate iden` tical parts in all the figures.

Each individual plow A of the diagonal gang of plows is hitched to a diagonal tubular bitching-beam, B, (which may be a rigid beam, as shown in Fig. l, if the part of myinvention shown in Figs. 2 and 3be omitted,) by a coupling substantially such as described in the above-mentioned application for a United States patent; and the bitching-beam is also supported on and connected with the tractionengine by draw-bars C G,provided with wheels c c, and by cross-braces D D', all substantially as described in said application. These parts require,therefore,no detailed description here.

lrear platform of the traction-engine.

rlhe plows are connected by separate chains or ropes e to a lifting-baalt, which is sus pended by the bail chains or ropes ff from one end of the hoisting chain or rope F, the

Gr of a steam-cylinder, G, preferably arranged longitudinally and horizontally under the The hoisting-rope passes from the piston-rod under a Vsheave-pulley, f2, to and renders over au elevated sheave-pulley, f. lThe latter is carried on al fixed crane composed of the converging standardsHH', secured, respectively, to the side beams of the engine-frame. The lower ends of the standards are constructed with forwardly-projecting horizontal extensions, which terminate in downwardly-projecting hitching-arms h h', for the attachment of the draw-bars C C'.

Steam can be admitted to the rear end of the steam-cylinder to drive the piston (not shown)forward,soas to hoisttheplows,through pipe I2 by a three-Way cock, I', from the pipe I, which is connected with the steam-space of the boiler. l p

When the three-way cock is turned to shut off communication from pipe I, it opens communication from pipe I2 to exhaust-pipe I3, to exhaust the steam from thecylinder and permit the piston to be drawn back by the weight of the descending plows.

rIhe front end of the steamcylinder is either left open or, if closed, is provided with an open-ended pipe, g, to provide for the free ingress and egress of air and the escape of any steam which may leak past the piston.

It will be observed that, the hoisting-rig being mounted on the traction-engine, the Whole plowing attachment can be lifted above the ground, which has this important advantage, namely: that when the plowing attachment is thus lifted there are no wheels running on the ground in rear of the traction-wheels of the engine, to interfere'with the steering of the latter. It is obvious that, so far as this feature of my invention is concerned, it is immaterial where the wheels for supporting the draw-bars, hitching-beam, and forward ends of the plows are applied.

A hand-lever, K, fulcrumed on a lug of standard H in this instance, is connected by n' vother end of which is secured to the piston-rod IOO a connecting-rod, L, to the draw-bar C, which supports the plow-hitching beam near its advance end. Rod L may be connected to the bitching-beam direct. By means of this lever and connecting-rod the bitching-beam may be tilted up in such manner, by raising its advance end successively more and more, as to cause the plows, by giving them one after another the required upward pitch, to run out of the ground successively, beginning with the most advanced one, and thus finish the plowing of the strip of ground substantially square. After the plows have been thus tilted up by the hand-lever to cause them to run out of the ground, a latch, K', hooks over a projection, 7c, on the lever to lock it. The plows are then lifted clear off the ground by the steam hoisting-rig.

It is clear that any suitable known steam hoisting-rig that can be applied conveniently to the rear end of a traction-engine for raising a gang of plows may be substituted for the steam hoisting-rig described; but the latter is specially adapted to steam gang-plows.

In order to adapt the gang-plow for operating on very uneven ground, by allowing the plows to adapt themselves easily to the surface inequalities, I articulate the diagonal bitching-beam as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, although more than one joint may be provided. As shown, the hitching-beam is made of two pieces, the adjacent ends of which are independently pivoted to a coupling, M, which is supported upon a wheel, c2, the stock of which is constructed and connected to a bar, C2, in manner as the stocks of wheels c and c are constructed and connected to the draw-bars C and C. Bar C2 is,in fact-,a short draw-bar, the

front end of which is connected by rods C3 and C* with the hitching-arm 7L and h on the traction-engine.

I claim as my inventionl. rlhe combination, substantially as before set forth, of the traction-engine, the draw-bars pivoted thereto, the hitching-beam, the plows coupled to the bitching-beam, the wheels for supporting the draw-bars, bitching-beam, and forward ends of the plows, and a hoisting-rig mounted on the traction-engine for lifting the entire plowing attachment above the ground.

2. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of a gang of plows, a traction-engine, and the described steam hoisting-rig mounted on said engine, and composed of a steam-cylinder, a' hoisting chain or rope fastened to the piston-rod thereof, a crane and pulleys for supporting and guiding said rope, and a lifting-bar flexibly connected with the hoisting rope and with the plows.

3. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the diagonal bitching-beam of the plows of a steam gang-plow, the draw-bars and wheels for supporting the bitching-beam on the ground at or near both ends, the handlever on the traction-engine, and the rod for connecting the lever with the advance end of the bitching-beam.

4. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the members. of the articulated bitching-beam, `the coupling to which said members are pivoted, the draw-bar connected with said coupling, and the wheel for supporting the drawbar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. SNYDER.

Vitnesses:

D. M. GOOD, .I r., A. O. FRICK. 

